Thera 1.61: Vappa
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(61):Vappa Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =61. Vappa= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu, as the son of a brahmin(priest) Vāsettha. Now when Asita the seer1 had declared that the young noble Siddhattha(prince who became Buddha) would become omniscient, Vappa with four other sons of brahmins(priests) , Kondañña at their head,2 became monks. When Asita's prophecy had been fulfilled, Vappa heard the Buddha preach and thought: 'I will win salvation.' He was present during the six years when the Great Being made his ascetic struggles; upon that disgusted when the latter again took solid food, he went to Isipatana, and there met the Lord(Buddha) then starting the Wheel of the Path(Dhamma) rolling and achieved Sotapana(first samadhi of Nirvana). On the fifth day he and his four mates won arahantship(enlightenment). Upon that reflecting on the might of the Lord(Buddha) and the blindness of the world, and how the Ariyan state bestowed vision, he said this verse: ---- 61 Passati passo passantaɱ apassantaɱ ca passati|| Apassanto apassantaɱ passantaɱ ca na passatī' ti.|| || ---- 61 He who did see can see another seer, Him too who has no eyes by which to see, He who himself sees not, can never discern Either the eye that sees not, or the seer.3 ---- 1 Sutta Nipata, verse 128 ff.; Vinaya Texts, i. 90, n. 1; Bud. Birth Stories, p. 118. 2 See CCXLVI. 3 There is here an allusion to the undiscerning attitude of the five monks over against the spiritual evolution of the Buddha, recorded by the books referred to. Cf. A. ii. 179 f. ---- 1.7 Seventh Chapter 1.7-161 Commentary on the stanza of =Vappa Thera= The stanza starting with Passati passo constitutes that of the venerable Thera Vappa. What is the origin? It is said that he was reborn in a family home in the city of Haṃsavatī at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara; on having attained the age of intelligence, he happened to hear such words of praise as:– “Such and such a Thera had become the first recipients (paṭiggahaka) of the truth (dhamma),” approached the Blessed One, and made his aspiration thus:– “O Blessed One! I also in time to come should like to become one of those who are recipients of the truth (dhamma) first of all of an excellent sef-awakened Buddha like you.” He acknowledged also that he had gone to Him as his refuge (saraṇa) in the presence of the Master. After having done meritorius deeds as long as he lived, he passed away thence, wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn as the son of a brahmin named Vāseṭṭha in Kapilavatthu when this Buddha arose. His name was Vappa. On the prophecy having been made by the ascetic Asita (Unattached) that the prince Siddhattha will become Omniscient (Buddha), he, together with sons of brahmins headed by Koṇḍañña, abandoned the household life, renounced the world, became a hermit and attended upon the great being (mahāsatta) who was dwelling in the Uruvela (forest) and who was making strenuous effort for six years saying to himself: “When that prince attains omnicience I shall listen to the truth (dhamma) in his presence and attain immortality (amata).” He became disgusted because of His enjoyment of ample nourishment and went to Isipatana. When the turning of the wheel of dhamma was made by the Master after having becoem perfect Buddha (abhisambujjitvā), spent seven times seven days and gone to Isipatana, he became established in the fruition of the first stage of sanctification (sotāpatti) on the first day of the lunar month (patipadadivase), and on the fifth (day) of the (waxing) half (pakkha), he attained Arahantship along with Aññāsikoṇḍañña and so on. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “The battle of both the divine kings was imminent (samupaṭṭhito). (The battle) became in full swing (samupabyūḷho); there occurred a great shouting (ghosa). Padumuttara, the world-wise (Lokavidū), the apt recipient of sacrificial offerings, the Master stood in the sky and made the multitude of men remorseful. All the divine beings became enraptured, threw down their armour (kavaca) and weapons, paid their homage to the self- awakened Buddha and became calmly collected for all times. Having come to know my intention, the world-wise (Lokavidū) spoke the lordly (āsabhiṃ) word (vācā). The merciful Master extinguished the fire of anger (nibbāpesi) of the multitude of men. An offensive-minded (padaṭṭhacitto) human-being, hurting a creature has to suffer in purgatory owning to that anger in mind. Hurting many creatures similar to the elephant at the head of an army, cleanse (nibbāpetha) your own mind; do not kill again and again. That army of the two celestial (yakkha) sovereigns became dismayed (vimhita). They went towards the eldest fo the world of such excellent qualities (sutādinaṃ) as their refuge also. Having conciliated the crowed, the possessor of vision (cakkhumā) raised His foot. He took His departure facing north while still being looked on by the divine-beings. I first went towards refuge of such a personage as the sovereign of men (dvipadinda); I did not have to be born in any evil existence for a hundred thousand aeons (kappa). I became sixteen world-kings, lords of charioteers (rathesabha) named Mahādundubhi, in thirty thousand aeons (kappa). My dipravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he reflected over the greatness of the qualities of the Master in the face of his pondering over the prosperity aptly gained by himself and uttered this stanza starting with “Passati passo,” in order to show thus:– “We address (samudacarimha) the Master like this with such a speech (vāda) as luxurious (bāhulika) and so on; the state of being a common world-king is certianly (aho) the doing of darkness (andhakaraṇa), making (karaṇa) of eyelessness (acakkhu); only the holy noble condition (ariyabhava) is the making of eye (cakkhukaraṇa).” 61. There, Passati passo is to be construed thus:– He sees the phenomena (dhamma) with (his) right view (sammādiṭṭhi), he knows and gets awakened to the phenomena (dhamma) unequivocally (aviparītaṃ); thus, passo, one who sees; a holy noble (ariya) endowed with sight (dassana); passantaṃ means;; he sees the unequivocol seer (dassāvī) saying: “This one is aware of things definitely (aviparīta dassāvī); he knows according to their nature (sabhāva) the righteousness (dhamma) and the wrongfulness (adhamma) by means of his eye of wisdom (paññācakkhu). Apassantañ ca is to be construed as: It is not wholly (kevalaṃ) that he is but going to see (passantaṃ); then, indeed, he sees what one dose not see also; whoever is devoid of the eye of wisdom he does not see the phenomena (dhamma) in accordance with their nature;; he sees by means of his own eye of wisdom that non-seeing common worldling (puthujjana) also, saying to himself; “Blind indeed is this one being without eye (acakkhuko).” Apassanto apassantaṃ, passantañ ca na passati is to be construed as:– The blind fool (andhabāla) devoid of eye of wisdom (paññā cakkhu), the non-seeing does not notice a blind like him as:– “This one dose not see the right (dhamma) and wrong (adhamma) according to their nature (sabhāva); thus, just as he does not see and know the non-seeing, in the same way, he does neither see nor known the seeing-wise man also, saying to himself: “This one is of this variety” as well as the right and wrong according to their nature by means of his own eye of wisdom; therefore, I also, formerly, being bereft of insight (dassana), did not see the Blessed One who sees the knowable (ñeyya) similar to an emblic myrobalan fruit on His palm (hatthāmalaka) and who does not see also the fulfillment (pūraṇa) and so on, according to nature; now, however, being endowed with Buddha’s power, I see both also according to nature; thus, he showed his own unequivocal proper attainment (paṭipatti) in what-ever is to be attained to or not. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Vappa is complete. ----